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Monday, January 31, 2011

We're happy to have Julie Bell with us today talking about her book A Place of Abundance. To learn more about Julie and her book, read on!

Title: A Place of AbundancePublisher: Tate PublishingCover blurb:
“Look!” a voice in the train car rang out. Richard looked out the window to see five horses riding alongside the train. Oh God, Richard inwardly cried, What are we going to do? Richard heard the sound of guns fired and slid his eyes shut. His last thought was of home.

Three years later, eighteen-year-old Alicia Barnes is still dealing with the death of her father. When she suddenly loses her mother in an unfortunate accident, Alicia is devastated and promises to never trust God again. She decides to start a new life in a new town as a schoolteacher. There she meets Caleb Carter, a young ranch owner whose parents were killed three years ago. As Alicia begins to make friends with Caleb and his younger sister, Claire, she wonders how a loving God could allow terrible things to happen to good people. Then, an unwelcome band of outlaws appear in town, and Alicia is faced with two choices – holding onto a bitter heart or accepting the peace of forgiveness. Will Alicia learn to trust God and allow him to bring her to A Place of Abundance?

1) How did this story come to you?
For a while I had a rough outline of a story rolling around in my mind. One day I was sitting in bumper to bumper traffic and we weren’t moving at all. I had a notebook in the passenger seat, grabbed it, and starting writing down the story. Once I got home, I wrote a more detailed outline and five months later I had finished the first rough draft.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I wrote the first rough draft five years before I really began to pursue publishing. I did some online research and sent my manuscript to Tate Publishing. After reviewing my manuscript they offered me a contract.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I speak French (I’m a French teacher) but I also studied American Sign Language in high school and used to interpret in the deaf ministry at the church I went to as a youth. I love to ride horses. I sang the National Anthem at a minor league baseball game in 2009.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I’m currently in the editing phase of my second novel, a sequel to the first, which will release this fall.

5) Parting comments?
I have been influenced and inspired by many Christian fiction authors throughout the years. I hope and pray that you will enjoy A Place of Abundance and that it will inspire you the way that the writings of my favorite Christian authors have inspired me.

We're happy to have Lyle A. Way with us today talking about his book Edge of Disaster. To learn more about Lyle and his book, read on!

Title:Edge of Disaster.Cover blurb: Arastoo Faridoon wants to resurrect the Persian dynasty so he con rule the world as king, and he won’t let anything stand in his way – not his own people, not his own family, and most of all, not the great power in the West, the United States of America.
Fueled by his hatred of the U.S., he devises a plan to ruin its economy with a strain of bacteria that will destroy the country’s grain supply. As a result of the outbreak, the country’s economy spirals downward. The housing market hits rock bottom. The stock market sinks to an all-time low. Bread, cereal, beef and chicken become too expensive to eat.
One of Faridoon’s foes emerges unexpectedly moments before he is to launch his final assault on the U.S. But will they arrived in time to stop him for executing his diabolical plan? And does Faridoon have enough fear to take them seriously? *not included by vitally important is the fact that the CIA sends its best agent to Iran, to try and uncover this plot. The military is involved as well as secret cells in Tehran, providing lots of excitement and intrigue.

1. How did this story come to you?
It came to me while watching the news and the Iranian Presidents tirades against the United States.

2. Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I had my share of rejections before sending the manuscript to Creation House, who decided to publish it.

3. Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
A. I am a retired CEO of the largest retirement center in Lubbock.
B. I love writing books about the CIA and my favorite agent who was born in my imagination, Aristotle Tucker, known as “Tuck”.
C. I received a Bachelor of Theology degree during my 60th year on this globe.

4. What are you working on now and what’s next for you?
I have a new book in the publishing process now, titled “Wake of the Golden Gryphon” a story about a smuggler in the South China Seas. It will also become an E book, which will require my cutting approximately 15,000 words from the story. For an author who cherishes every word in his work, this is a daunting task.

5. Parting comments?
I know that E books are the fast growing future in the publishing business, however, I still love the look and feel of a book in my hands, so I think there will always be traditional publishing.

We're happy to have Christine Sunderland with us today talking about her book Hana-lani. To learn more about Christine and her book, read on!

Title: Hana-laniPublisher: OakTara

Cover blurb:Only opening their hearts will keep them from plunging into the dark abyss. Old Nani-lei lives in Hana-lani, her family home in rural Hawaii. She looks after her grandson Henry, 52, and his daughter Lucy, 6, who have returned to Maui from Berkeley after the death of Maria, Henry's wife. Henry and Maria, both professors, had been working on A History of Ethics, and now the grieving Henry struggles to finish it.
City girl Meredith Campbell, 36, fast-paced, self-centered, and beautiful, believes her body will ensure her happiness. After losing her job and finding her lover unfaithful, she flies to Maui, sure he will follow…but her plane crashes near Hana-lani.
As their worlds collide in a natural world both beautiful and dangerous, Henry will be forced to act on his words, and Meredith will come face-to-face with her own life choices.
A poignant journey that unravels T.S. Eliot’s “permanent questions”—what is goodness, truth, and love?

1) How did this story come to you?
I have had the wonderful opportunity to visit Hana, Maui and the Hawaiian Islands and have been impressed with their culture of family, faith, and history. I have also been troubled by the general trend in American culture away from family, faith, and history. I wanted to write a "good read," fast-paced but with serious themes, and thought this setting would be a perfect location. Douglas R. Cobb of Bestsellersworld.com called it "sexy, sweet, and touching… beautifully written…" so I think I did!

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
Once Hana-lani was fleshed out and edited with the help of local readers and editors, I sent it to my publisher, OakTara (who published my first three novels, Pilgrimage, Offerings, Inheritance, set in Western Europe) and they loved Hana-lani. We went into final edits in November and it was available on Amazon in early December 2010.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
First, I'm the daughter of a Presbyterian pastor, left the church in my college days, and returned as an enthusiastic Anglo-Catholic. Second, I never planned to become a writer and didn't begin writing novels until I was fifty and had time to reflect on life. Third, it took six years of submissions to agents and publishers and only one acceptance (OakTara), which to me, is clear evidence of miracles.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I enjoy writing my blog, which is a travel journal when away and a spiritual journal at home. I've just finished the first draft of a fifth novel, The Magdalen Mystery, set in the present about a quest to find the real Mary Magdalene in Rome and Provence, about discerning historical truth. After that, if my fingers still work, I'll pick something from my idea list and jump into the sixth novel.

5) Parting comments?
I love words, and I've found being older (sixty-three) gives me more life experience to draw upon when I write. I have many folks read my drafts and I study authors I admire (P.D. James). I have found that workshops and local writers clubs essential to improving my craft.
Thanks so much for having me visit. I appreciate the opportunity.